Safety switch box



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WITNESSES:

Patented Oct. 28, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,513,225 PATENT OFFICE.

CHABLFS CORDIER, F GLENDALE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFETY SWITCH BOX.

Application led September 19, 1919. Serial No. 324,811.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES CORDIER, a citizen of Germany, and a resident of Glendale, Long Island, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Im rovement in Safety Switch Boxes, of whlch the following is a specification.

M invention relates to switch boxes and particularly to safety switch boxes.

The object of my invention is to provide a two-compartment safety switch box that shall be inexpensive to construct and that shall have simple and effective door-interlocking devices.

In practicing my invention, I provide a switch box, the hinged door tothe fuse compartment of which is Jrovided with a projection having a cam ace that is concentrlc with the axis of the switch-operating device. The switch-operating device is of such shape that it constitutes a cam ymember for cooperation with the projection to preclude moving the door even a slight distance i towards its open position when the switch is'closed and to preclude closin the switch when the door is open. With t is arrangement, the door remains entirely closed when the switch is closed, thus ensuring complete 3 safety to the operator.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view -of a safety switch box embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a side view, partially in elevation and partially I5 in section, ofthe switch box shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is an end view, artially in section and partially in; elevation, of the switch box shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

A switch box 1 comprises, in general, a rectangular metallic ,casing or box 2 having an open top and small circular openings 3 and 4 in the sidesand bottom thereof, respectively, to receive the leading-in conductors. A hinged cover 5 is secured to a portion of the top of the box and a cover 6 is secured, by screws 7 and a sealing device 8, to the remaining portion of the top of the box. A barrier 9 is disposed between j the door 5 and the cover 6 to separate the box into two compartments.

An insulating block 10, of porcelain or4 other suitable material, is di sed in the ybottom of the box and is rovi ed with fuse receptacles 11 at one end t ereof and a knifeblade switch 12 at the other end thereof.

A rod 13 is journaled in the sides of the box at the points14= and 15 and is of such shape as to constitute a .fulcrumed member having a cam portion 16 and a handle portion 17 that extends outside the box at one side. `i

The'switch 12 comprises pivotal contact members 18, jaw members 19, knife-blade members 20 and a bar 21 of insulatin material for operativel securing the ifeblade members toget er. A projection 22, is secured tothe bar 21, and a spring 23 is disposed between the projection 22 and a washer 24 that is mounted on one side of a bolt 25, the other end of which passes loosely through the projection 22 and is pivotally secured to the fulcrumed portion of the rodl 13. Thisconstitutes a resilient connection between the switch and the operating lmember thereof to permit quick operation of the switch.

A projection 26 is mounted on the hinged door 5 and extends, through a small opening in the barrier 9, -into the switch compartment of the box. The projection 26 has a portion 27 having a cam face that is concentric with the upper surface of the camportion 16 of the rod 13. A projection 28 1s disposed at the side of the box and has an opening 29 therein to receive a padlock (not shown) for the purpose oflocking the handle 17 in the open position of the switch. The sealing device 8 com rises a projection that is secured to one en of the box 2 and extends through an opening 30 in the cover 6 and has an opening therein to receive a vbroken lines to permit access to the fuse compartment of the box. In order to gain access to the switch y com artment of the box, itis necessarytobreak the seal and to remove the screws? which, of course, should be done only by an authorized erson. /Sin'ee the portionl'engages the cam' ace 27, it wili be seen that the'v 'switch 12 cannot be rtion 16 and thus'precludes lait) closed so lon as the door `is in its open position but t e closing of the switch autoinatically closes the door. When the switch 12 is again in its closed position, the door 5 cannot be moved toward its open position until the switch is opened.

From the foregoing it will be understood lthat the rod 413 serves the double purpose of the switch-actuating device and an interlock that so co-operates with the concentric l projection on :the door member as to effectively preclude a relatively slight movement ofthe door-when the switch is in its closed position and Vthus removes all danger of an operator inserting conductive devices under the door and thereby 1endangering himself when the switch is closed.

My invention is not limited to the specific structure illustrated but is adapted to be variously modified withouty departing from.

the spirit and'scope thereof, as set forth in the appended claims. I claim as' my invention:

1. The combination with a switch box having twofcompartments, a fuse in one compartment and a switch in the other compartment, ofa hinged door for the fuse compartment, a projection on the hinged door extending into the switch compartment, and an actuating device for the switch comprising a one-piece rod extending through, and pivoted in, an opening in the side of the box and having such shape as to co-operate with the projection on the door to preclude moving the door when the switch is closed and to preclude closing the switch while the door is open, the portion of the rod within the box being Vor such shape that it may be inserted through the said opening.

2. The combination with a switch box having two compartments, a fuse in one compartment and aswitch in the other compartment, of a hinged door for the fuse compartment, a vprojection on the hinged door extending into the switch compartment, and

a single rod so bent as to constitute an actuating device .for the switch and for co-operating with the projection on ythe door to prevent moving the door when the switch is in its closed position.

3. In a switch box, the combination with. a door having a projection thereon, of a rod having substantially uniform cross-section throughout and being bent to form a switchoperating handle Aand to forma projection for co-operating'with the projection on the door to preclude moving the door when the switch is closed.

Y 4. In a switch box having a door, the combination with a kni blade switch, of a rod having substantiall' throughout and .extending across "the, box

and through one's'i'dethereof, said rod being 'of such shape as toconstitute a handle, two,I

uniform cross-section' bearing portions, a portion for connection to the switch and a cam portion for interlocking the switch with the door of the box.

5. A switch box comprising a hinged door for one portion of the box, a removable door for another portion of the box, means for securing the removable door in position, a fuse mounted in that portion of the box having the hinged door, a knife-blade switch mounted in the other'portion of the box, a barrier between the two portions of the box, means carried by the door and projecting into the portion of the box containlng the v switch, an actuating device for the switch comprising a one-piece ,rod extending into the last said portion of: the box and being of such shape as to constitute al cam for cooperating with t-he projection to preclude opening the door so Vlong as the switch is closed and closing the switch so long as thedoor is open. v

6. A switch box comprising a hinged door,

ra switch, an operating1 device for the switch,

and a projection on t e hinged door having an arcuate cam face concentric with the axis of the operating device when the door is in closed position for (xo-'operating therewith to preclude moving .the `door towards its open position when the switch is closed.

7. switch box comprising a hinged door, a rod pivotally mountedin the box and having a handle portion and a cam portion, and

cover and a bearing opening in the side of 'the box and a switchwithin the box, of an -operating rod having a portion extending interiorly of the box through the said opening, the said portion within the box being bent to form a crank by which the switch is actuated and a camp and'journals adjacent opposite sides of the box, the said 'cam being so offset from the axis of rotation of the rod that it co-operateswith the said cover for retaining the cover-in closed position so long asthe switch is in' closed position, and the switch `in cover 'is open. A j

Inl testimony whereofhl have hereunto subscribed my name thisthird day of Sep` CHARLES CORDIER.-

open position so longas 'the Y 

